Emergent Behavior: New Swarms of Hovering Objects Photographed in Place by Thomas Jacksonby Christopher Jobson on November 25, 2013

Cups No. 2 / Courtesy Thomas Jackson

Glow Sticks No. 2 / Courtesy Thomas Jackson

Marshmallows No. 1 / Courtesy Thomas Jackson

Plates No. 3 / Courtesy Thomas Jackson

Post-Its No. 2 / Courtesy Thomas Jackson

Straws No. 2 / Courtesy Thomas Jackson

Thank You Bads No. 1 / Courtesy Thomas Jackson

Yarn No. 2 / Courtesy Thomas Jackson

Though we’ve featured these amazing swarm photos by Thomas Jackson here on Colossal severaltimes in the last few years, the photographer continues to perfect his technique and has published many new images since we checked in last year. In the past, Jackson suspended the multitudes of paper Post-It notes, plates, or neon glowsticks on a framework of monofilament lines which he would then digitally erase in Photoshop in post-production (the marshmallow photo above is the last photo he created using that method). Jackson shares via email that he’s now discovered better materials that are nearly invisible at normal viewing distance and just barely discernable when viewing prints close-up, ensuring Photoshop only comes into play for standard color and contrast adjustments. Even the blurring you see is created by the wind.